Posts tagged “clothing”

New Year’s is my favorite holiday of all the holidays! It’s not just a time for reflecting on your previous year but also an incredible opportunity to plan out an entire year of what’s to come.

I’ve been thinking about what I want from this year, and it is packed. I’m starting with a handful of resolutions which I’m sharing here now. Hopefully if they’re written in a place where I’m not the only person who can see them (aka not my journal), I’ll be more likely to actually stick to them. So, here goes.

1. No more ‘fast fashion.’

This includes, but is not limited to, Urban Outfitters, H&M, Forever 21, Zara, etc. I’ve only realized this fact in the last few months (yes, slow on the uptake, I know) but stores like the aforementioned megashops manufacture their clothing to be on trend (okay, great) but to last for 10 washes max. That is despicable. Think of how many $30 sweaters (or 40, or 50!) I’ve bought from UO or elsewhere. One year of fast sweaters could’ve bought me at least two beautiful, made-to-last, staple sweaters that I could cherish for years to come.

This resolution will be all about control and perspective. I’ll have to remember that just because the price is good, doesn’t mean the product is. And I’ll have to remember that the $20 I take out of my paycheck every two weeks is going toward something that I will really value one day, not just a venti latte. This will also give me an excuse to focus on thrift and vintage stores.

2. Keep blogging.

It’s as simple as that. I know there has been a bit of a holiday-induced hiatus in my writing lately but between work and friends and family I just couldn’t squeeze it in! I’m really excited to stick to this resolution because it’s become so important for me to document my thoughts in a permanent-ish way. One day I’ll be able to look back at these posts and realize how much I’ve changed since way back in 2012. That alone is worth it to me.

Aside from all that, I’ve got big plans for this little blog in the new year, including a fresh theme and DIY video series! Keep an eye out for my first edition.

3. Keep that New Year’s feeling.

I always feel so optimistic at the start of a new year. Eventually that high wears off, and I land back in the doldrums of my everyday outlook. But this year I will try to keep the excitement and foresight of a new year, or at least try to keep that attitude in mind as often as I can. Sounds cheesy, but my life has taken such a dramatic reversal in the last year, I need to remind myself sometimes to anticipate the future, no matter the unexpected things that may come up.

Also, I made a playlist that I was intending to post yesterday. But I didn’t. So here it is! It’s designed for a night of all-night New-Year’s dancing. But you can dance around your room to it. Find it on 8tracks AND on Spotify!

And with that, here’s to 2013. I hope it’s the best year yet. Yes, the best year of all the years. Ever.

ttyl,

Maria Nichole

p.s. Do you have any resolutions? Let me know, I’m always inspired by other people’s goals!

I. Love. Winter. So many chunky sweaters and layering possibilities! Options are endless, especially when coziness is the goal. This season is the time to toss the idea of always being flattered by your clothing choices and call in your fisherman’s sweaters and flannel-lined trousers. Although, if you’re gong seriously oversized, I suggest a balancing scheme: bulky up top, fitted on the bottom, and so on.

As I’m typing this, my cozy little house is getting doused with a fresh blanket of snow and my kettle is whistling away. Time to break out the snow boots!

Mid-season sale time, that is! For guys and gals on a seriously college-level budget (like me), this is your chance to stock up on essentials and snag that trendy swag you’ve been lusting after all season.

Below is me this summer, on location in San Francisco for a Mawi London piece about our amazing American stockists. I’m wearing a Topshop dress that I scored during their spring mid-season sale. I love it to death, and it’s easily become my most-worn piece of clothing.

I’ve rounded up my top ten picks from Topshop’s sale. Hopefuly I’ll actually be able to invest in some of them but for now it’s just wishful shopping. Have a look below!

In lieu of traveling all the way down to Chicago for the Rookie Road Trip stop at the Girls Rock! concert, Lois Louis and I decided our time might be better spent scouring the racks of the Twin Cities’ best vintage shops.

Wandering through our first shop of the day, Go Vintage!

This shop was INCREDIBLE. It was absolutely stuffed to the brim with an enormous selection all organized by waistline and era. There were more hats than I could count, and the small store was complete with an entire closet full of “please ask for assistance, don’t touch” clothes dating back to the early 1800s. The sales girl was sweet, not too pushy, not aloof either. Lois Louis and I agreed, she had a good vibe about her, a true vintage lover.

I was so tempted by this gorgeous wicker purse with brown leather flaps and an adorable red bandana-patterned inner lining. Too bad I couldn’t bear to pay $55 for it. I had a feeling there would be better things to come.

If you have the bucks, or if you’re in the mood to browse, we definitely recommend Go Vintage. Find it here:

1560 Selby Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104 (651) 646-4455

The aforementioned sweet salesgirl pointed us down the street to our next stop, Lula’s. Here we found another wide array of well-cared for garments. The racks were pretty packed, however, which made it slightly difficult to search.

I did end up trying on an adorable denim dress that literally fit like a glove. I’ve never had such luck with the fit of a vintage piece. Was I smart enough to fork over the $35 for this gem? Nope. And I still regret it. Hindsight and all that, but now I realize that I couldn’t find a dress that fit that well even if I paid three times that amount. Good call, Maria. Seriously.

If you’re a size 0-2 and in the neighborhood, snatch it up before someone else does! Check out Lula’s here:

1587 Selby Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104 (651) 644-4110

Next we moved on to a joint called Everyday People, which boasts two locations, another in Uptown Minneapolis. It turned out to be less of a vintage shop and more of a consignment store. Nothing of note was found here, except some salespeople with a great love of Sam Cooke. If you want some used yesterday goods, visit:

1599 Selby Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55104 (651) 644-4410

Our next spot on the list was the Savers between Selby and Uptown. Savers? you may be asking. Yes, Savers. Lois Louis and I have had the best of luck with the ever-stocked vintage section of our hometown Savers and we couldn’t wait to search through the sure-to-be-bigger section of the Minneapolis Savers.

Unfortunately, this Savers was bigger. Much, much, bigger. Overwhelmingly so. And without a substantial vintage section. We only lasted about ten minutes after half-heartedly sifting through their so-so jewellery section. We needed sustenance and a smaller selection.

If you have the time, patience, and hand sanitizer required to bear this massive second hand heaven, be their guest!

2124 East Lake Street Minneapolis (612) 729-9271

We agreed on one more stop before refueling for lunch. We ended up at Tatters Alternative Clothing, a confusing mix of new dresses and smelly used combat-style boots. A uniquely patterned (fancy-dress ladies drinking wine) polyester button-down was purchased and then we referred to the man behind the counter for a good, vegetarian friendly, place to eat.

He directed us to the Bryant-Lake Bowl, a bowling alley, bar, and cinema combo just around the corner. For such a cobbled together place, they did their best to source all of their veggies and meat from local farmers, which anyone can appreciate. And to further their credit, their chef makes a mean bowl of fresh tofu pad thai which was big enough to split and devoured nonetheless. Go there for a friendly atmosphere but inattentive wait staff.

810 West Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55408 (612) 825-8949

Afterwards, we were ready for some consistency in both sizing and air conditioning so we opted for the Uptown Urban Outfitters which was expectedly over-priced and hip but ultimately a good choice.

We didn’t end up hitting all of our destinations and I didn’t actually buy anything except gas and food. Next time we’ll definitely make a stop at Via’s Vintage on South Hennepin which was closed by the time we got there! Such a bummer. But overall, it was a successful day, which ended with the Hudson Fourth of July Fair, which we accidentally stumbled into.

Let me know if you’ve been to any other vintage shops in the Midwest that are worth the drive! I can’t quench this thirst!